Button clamp



Oct 1 8 R. l.. LYQNS BUTTON CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed DeC. ll. 1924 Patented Oct.l 18, 1.927. y UNITED STATES 1,645,537 PATENT OFFICE.

yROBERT L. LYONS, F WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK OSANN COMPANY. or NEW Yonx, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

nunon l Application med December 11, 1924. Serial No. 755,175.-

In the manufacture of garments, or the like, there are often occasions when buttons widely differing from each other in size. are to be sewed to the same piece of oods. As

heretofore constructed, however, t e clamps for holding the buttons in posltion for ma' employ one' or more additional machines.

having clamps capable of handling buttons of the other sizes. In either case two vor more handlings of veach garment or other piece ofgoods are necessary to sew on all the butt-ons required and such handling represents a considerable time factor in the expense for labor. Of course where it is necessary to change the clamps on a single machine this adds another important time factor to the labor-cost.

Animportant purpose of the present invention, therefore, is to rovide a construetion of clamp capable o 'properly handling buttons having such a great ran e in sizes that changes of clamps or di erent machines for the same goods are rendered'un- 'necessary The clamp of the present invention is capable of properly handlin buttons of sizes from ten to one hundre and twenty lines or more, there being fortylines to an inch of diameter. So far as I am aware no button clamp has heretofore been devised capable of handling buttons having size variations `of more than sixty lines.,

vTh-is invention also provides an adjustfv lment mechanism b which opening and closing movement o these jaws to any ex tent desired may be rapidly and easlly effected.

A further feature of the invention relates to.' the construction whereby a spring ressed plunger for depressing the, clamp is a so employed to hold the clamp in proper lateral position.l y v For a more complete understanding of thls invention, reference may be had tothe accom anying drawings'in which y Figure'l is a fragmenta a button` sewing machine s owing the clamp of the ,present invention in position thereon.

Figurev 2 is a fragmentary plan ofthe side elevation of` button-clamping mechanism showin the position of the jaws for engaging a utton of large diameter. Figure 3 is a similar view showing the jaws engaging a button of small diameter. y e Figure 4 is a plan view of the clamp. Figure is a front elevation thereof showlng a button of large size held thereby.

Figure 6 is an inverted plan of the clam Referring first to Figure 1, at 1 is ind1- cated the machine head having the usual sewing arm 2 extending u wardl therefrom and then substantially horizontal y thereover where it carries a head 3 in which is mounted the needle bar 4 carrying the needle 5 and certain other sewing instrumentalities inthe usual manner. The needlel 5 in its sewing strokes passes down through the cloth plate 6 on a work table 7 into coo rative relation with the looper 8. The utton clam 10 is carried by an angle piece 11 which 1s pivoted as at 12 to a portion of the machine closely adjacent to the rear end of the arm 2, either to the machine frame or toa member movable relative thereto, so that the clamp may be lifted to raise the' button from the clothplate, the pivot 12 being as far removed from the button-engaging portion of the clamp as is convenient.

The clamp itself comprises a support which is fixed to the arm 11 as by means of bolts 21, this support carrying a pair of opposed button clamping jaws 22 and a third jaw23. The jaws 22 as shown extend substantially the len th of the support 20 and at their rear en s .are fulcrumed on the pivot screws 25 which areV back as far as possible toward the pivot 12. By extending the jaws rearwardly in this manner their forward button-engaging portions 30 -move in arcs'of a large' diameter circle as shown jdred and twenty lines. At the forward end' of the support 10 the jaws 22 are su ported close toits lower face throughout' t eir extent of pivotal motion byel means of a transverse bar 35.4 on which these jaws ride, this bar being fixed to the support as by means of ascrew36. This bar and sup ort act to `prevent substantial motion of thejaws ally of their directions of pivotal movement. Forwardly of this bar the jaws are downwardly turned as at 'and then are bent forwardly terminating in the button-engaging portions 30. As shown these buttonengaging portions have flanges at their upper edges projecting toward each other and also( are provided with resilient fingers 46 projecting inwardly at the lower ace oi' the jaws, these fingers being movable toward and from the flanges 45, being guided by pins 47 passing through perforations 48 in the jaws.' The extent of downward. motion of these lingers relative to the jaws is limited by inturned ears 49 projecting over the upper faces of the jaws, this construction being for the purpose oi' permitting the jaws `to accommodate themselves to buttons of is fully described and claimed in my app different thicknesses but yet insuring a positive upward movement oi' the fingers 46 to raise the button from the work at the end of the sewing operation. This constructiclin 1- cation for patent, Serial No. 729,881, tiled Au st 4,1924, for button clamps.

'.lgiile third jaw 23 is lixed to thel forward end of a plate 50 sldable on the lower vface of the support 20 being' held thereto by means of screws 51 having their heads 52 ri ing on the upper face of the support'and shank portions 53 extending through la slot 54 in the support and engaged in the plate 50. In order to adjust the 'ireedom'of sliding motion of this plate, screws 55 are passed therethrough engaging in threaded opening in the shanks 53 of the screws 52, the hea of these screws 55 bearing against the lower face of the plate 50. The plate 50 is provided with a pair of inclined slots within which ride guide screws 61 threaded into th jaws 22 by which screws sliding of the te 50 causes the jaws 22 to approach an recede from each other swinging about their pivot screws 25. The parts are so proportioned that the central jaw 23 moves back and forth toward the transverse lines of motion of the button-engaging portions of the side jaws 22 so that at a times it is in position to engage the rear edge of a buttonof suiiicient diameter to lit between the side jaws in such a manner that the center of a button engaged by the jaws isalways in the same placeregardless of the size of the button.

The position of the jaws fr engagug' a in ig- -button of a -large diameter is shown I ire 2, it being noted that the side clamping jaws engage the button sli tly forwardly of a lateral diameter thereo such as diameterbe' indicatedb thelineso-dinF' ure2,w'ethemd ejaw23 e rear of the button midway between the side jaws. By the button in this manner it is so securely eld in position that if a forward and rearward motion of the button is to Abeeieeted by movement o i-the clamp, as, for example, when four hole buttons are to be sewed, the button is not pulled out from between the'clamping jaws.`

Similarly when a small button is engaged as shown in Figure 3 the side clamping jaws engage the button in such a manner that rearward motion of the clamp will not act to pull the button from the clamp and the rear jaw 23 is in position to support the rear edge oi' the button. In every case the center or' the button is held in the same position regardless of its size. In order that the jaws may be held at any desired limit of inward motion to conform to any size button desired and yet permit the jaws to be yieldingly pushed apart slightly to permit the insertion or removal oi' a button, a

quick adjusting stop device is provided to gether with spring means for normally holdmg the jaws4 as close together as is permitted by such stop device. lhe stop device comprises an abutment block 65 fixed to one of the jaws 22 slightly forwardly of its pivot Ascr'ew 25, which abutment is adapted to be contacted by the inner end of a screw 66 threaded through the opposite jaw 22. This sci-ew 66 is provided with na knurled head 67 by which it may be turned and it may also have threaded thereon a lock nut 68 between which and the adjacent jaw 22 a split spring washer 69 may be placed.

vAs the stop device is positioned close to the fulcrumsof the jaws 22, it is evident that a small adjusting motion thereto will impart ,a considerable motion to the button-engaging portions of the jaws. The spring for resiliently holding the jaws to their inner limit of motion as shown comprises a substantially U-shaped spring wird 70 having its ends inwardly turned as at 71 and engaging in depressions 72 in the outer edge of each of the jaws 22. The mid portion of this spring wire passes to the rear of the pivot screws 25 and is preferably supported in the plane pf the jaws 22, for this purpose a plate 7 5 being shown as fixed to the lower face of the support 20 by mea-ns of a screw 7 6,. this plate having its rear end extend' under the spring wire 70. In order that e jaws may be opened against the tension of this spring to permit the ready insertion of the button the plate 50 is shown as provided with a pair of forwardly and downwardl extending finger pieces 80either of whic may be pressed upon by the operator to push the slide 50 rearwardly, thus to retract the central button-engaging jaw 23 and open the jaws 22.

For the purpose 'of r the button clampabout the pivot 12 a chain 85 is shown as xed to the upper face thereof on a screw 86, this chain extendi to the usual rock shaft (not shown) in t e head of the machine which is commonly treadle actuated to raise the clamp. The clamp is normally pressed down a ainst the work by means of a spring-pressed plunger member 87 which, as shown in Figure 5, is provided at its lower end with a foot 88 which rides in a groove 89 in a bridge piece 90 cutaway at its under face as at 91 to vpermit the head 52 of one of the screws 51vto pass thereunder, this bridge piece being fixed to the upper face of the support as by means of screws 92. By this inter-engagement between the lower end ofthe spring plunger, which is unattached to the c amp, and the l bridge piece'a lateral support to the clam in its raising and loweringmovements is a forded. The spring. plunger shown may be of the general constructionmore fully illustrated in my Patent No. 1,583,062, granted Mr 4, 1926.

ving thus described an embodiment of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made thereinwithout departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims. I claim:

' 1. In combination with a button sewing machine having a frame, a sewing arm over hanging said frame, sewing instrumentalities carried at the free end of said arm, amember pivotally supported adjacent to the rear end of said arm, and a button clamp carried by 'saidmemben said button clamp comprising a pair of opposed button-clamping jaws pivotally mounted adjacent to the pivotal mounting of said member and having button-engaging faces positioned to hold a button in operative relation to said instrumentalities.

2. In combination with a button sewing machine having a frame, a sewing arm overhanging said frame, sewing instrumentalities carried at the free end of said arm, a member pivotally supported adjacent to the rear end of said arm, and a button clamp carried by said member, said button clamp comprising a pair of opposed button-clamping jaws pivotally mounted adjacent to the pivotal mounting of said member and having button-engaging faces positioned to hold a button in operative relation to said instrumentalities, said button-clamping jawsv being movable on said ivots to conform to buttons of widely di erent diameters.

3. A button clamp having opposedbutton-engaging jaws, and means for pivotally supporting said jaws remote from their button-engaging portions whereby said button-engaging portions move toward and from each other for such substantia'l distances along approximately straight paths as to properly engagev buttonsA differing in size by more than sixty lines.

4. A button clamp comprisinga support,

-. means for-pivotally mountin sald support,

the pivot being adjacent to e rear end of said support, a pair of button-clamping jaws 'each pivoted at the rear end of said support and extending forwardly thereof, said jaws having opposed button-engaging faces at their forward ends and means for effecting simultaneous and equal movements of said ja'ws toward and from each other to hold buttons -of diameters diHering from .each other by more than sixty lines with their centers in the same position.

5. A button clamp comprising a support, means for pivotally mounting said support, the pivot being adjacent to the rear end of said support, apair of button-clamping jaws each pivoted at the rear end of said support and extending forwardly thereof, said jaws having opposed button-engaging faces at their forward ends, -a member movable forwardly' and rearwardly on said support and having connection to said jaws whereby movement of said member causes simultaneous and equal 'movements of said jawsv toward and from each other to hold buttons of. sizes differing by more than sixty lines with` their centers lin the same position, and means for moving said member.

6. A button clamp comprising a pair of button-engaging jaws, and means for pivotally supporting said jaws at such a substantial distance from their button-engaging portions that such button-engaging portions move along approximately straight lines from and within the limits of sizes of ten line and one hundred and twenty line buttons placed therebetween.

7. A button clamp comprising a .'support, a air of button-engaging jaws each pivoted adjacent to the `rear end of said support, a

`spring for pressing the button-engaging portions of said jaws together, and a screw carried by one of sai jaws adjacent to its pivot and operatively 'engaging the other of said jaws adjacent to' its pivot for adjustably limiting the extent to which said button-engaging portions shall approach eachl other.

8. In a. button sewing machine, a button clamp, means for mounting said button clamp whereby it may bey raised and lowered relative to said machine, and a springpressed plunger engaging said' clamp and yieldingly holding it in lowered position, said clamp having a longitudinal guldeway therein within which the lower end of lsaid plunger rides to prevent relative lateral 'motion between said clamp and plunger.

9. In abutton sewing machine, a button clamp means for mounting said clamp whereby it may be raised an owered relative to said machine, and a spring pressed clamp and yieldingly holding it in position, said plun er and clamp being formed complementally to prevent relative lateral motion therebetween.

A plunger unattaehed to but engaging said 10. A button clamp comprising a support, a pair of buttouclamping jaws pivoted to said support back of its forward portion, connections between said jaws insuring simultaneous motion thereof, and means independent of said connections acting at the :forward portion of said support for maintaining said jaws in proper positions relative to said support.

11. A button clamp comprising a support, a pair of button clamping jaws pivoted to said support back of its forward portion,

and means fixed at the forward portion of said support for maintaining said jaws close to said support.

' 12. A button clamp comprising a support, a pair of button clamping jaws pivoted to sald su port back of its lforward portion, and a ar xed in spaced relation to said suplport at its forward portion, said jaws ri 'ng in said space.

13. A button clamp comprising a support,

a air of button clamping jaws pivoted to said support, a third jaw slidab y carried by said support between said ivoted jaws 25 a cam plate carried by said sli g jaw an engageable with. said pivoted jaws to eiect simultaneous movement of all of said jaws in both opening and closing, and means independent of said sliding; jaw and acting on said pivoted jaws at the forward end of said support for holding saidl pivoted jaws to said support.

14:. A button clamp comprising a support,

a pair of button clamping jaws pivoted at their rear ends to said support, connections between said jaws insuring simultaneous mov tion thereof, and means independent of said connections acting on said jaws at their forward portions throughout their extent of pivotal motion to prevent themjrom substantial movement in directions laterally of ROBERT L. LYoNs.

aixed my 45 

